Telegraph selection system



Feb. 28, 1939. A. s. BENJAMIN 2,148,430

TELEGRAPH SELECTION SYSTEM Filed Oct. 5, 1936 IO ID INVENTOR. ABRAHAM S. BENJAMIN TTORNEY.

?atented Feb. 28, 1939 UNITED STATES 2,148,430 TELEGRAPH snrnciron' SYSTEM Abraham S. Benjamin, Chicago, Ill, assignor to Teletype Corporation, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Delaware .Application October 5, 1936. Serial No. 04,047

The present invention pertains to telegraphic communication systems and more particularly to telegraph systems involving a plurality of stations arranged with instrumentalities for their selective interconnection for the purpose of telegraphic communication.

An object of the invention is the provision of a simple and reliable mechanism to enable any station of a telegraph system to select another station or a group of stations with which it is desired to communicate.

A further object is to enable an originating station, after selecting a desired station or stations, to establish a condition by which all other stations of the system are prevented from interrupting the established communication.

Features of the invention reside in the provision of means to manifest prominently at all times the communicative or idle condition of the line circuit, to enable an operator at an originating station to observe the progress of the acts, step by step, of setting up and subsequently disrupting a communicative connection, to determine thenumber of stations connected in communication, and to minimize noise at a noncommunicating station upon the operating line circuit.

The above'enumerated and other objects'are attained by utilizing a plurality of printing telegraph sets of any desired type, each having as parts thereof a motor driven printer-selector, a driving motor therefor, and motor control means for starting and stopping the motor at a station by control from another station, to which relays and signals at each station are included to effect the method of operation according to the present invention; namely, that an operator at one station may start all motors to drive all selectors, then by the printer selector may indicate a desired station or more than one for communication, then may stop motors and/or otherwise disqualify nonindicated stations and may communicate with the indicated station or stations exclusively.

A more complete understanding of the invention will be obtained from the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which three stations are illustrated connected upon a communication line l0 which is presumed to serve the three stations shown, as well as additional stations.

In'the drawing, three stations are illustrated at A, B, and C, the letter of each station indicat ing its individual call signal.

At each station is provided a motor control arrangement iiaccording to the disclosure of Patent 1,964,268 issued to Oscar Morgenstern, together with the further items 01 line relay l2, milliammeter l3, keyboard transmitter it, manual break key it, series line resistance is, receiving selector magnet ii of the printer, holding relay l8, auxiliary holding relay is, selection register relay 2t, disabling or lockout relay 2i, restoring relay 22, and busy lamp 23. In the motor control device it, a resetting magnet it controls its armature 3i and two sets of contact members 32 and. it. A tripping magnet it has an armature 35 with latch tooth 36 for latching armature 38 in an intermediate position and has also a pivoted latch 38 for latching armature 35 in its attracted position. Spring 38 urges armature 35 away from 1.. .7 :1 et 36, while spring it draws latch 3? toward armature 35. A pair of contact members it normally separated are caused to engage each other in continuing manner by the case shift mechanism of the associated printer, and a pair of contact members it normally separated engage each, other momentarily by selective action similar to that of selecting a character for printing, as disclosed in detail in the Morgenstern patent. An additional pair of contacts 412 also are closed momentarily by the character selection functioning of the printer selector. Contact members 32, when in engagement, short circuit the winding of magnet 3 which at other times is 4 included in the line circuit it. Contact members 33, when brought into engagement, close a circuit for operating a driving motor 33 by power from the indicated source M.

In the relay equipment, a slow-to-release relay 98 for holding or maintaining a communication condition may he energized during operation of the station'apparatus from the front contact of line relay l2, and because of its slow releasing function, it does not respond to telegraphic communication signals which cause rapidoperation oi the armature relay i2. Auxiliary holding relay lil also is slow to release its armature and is energized directly by contact of slow relay H8. The station selector is provided further with three sets of selectively operable momentary contact devices similar to contact members 52; namely, contact device 65 which is closed by the selector apparatus when the individual station calling code signal is received, contact device 46 which is closed by the selector apparatus when another calling code signal common to stations of a selective group or common to all stations is received, and lockout contact device 41 which is closed when a disabling or lockout code signal is received. Contact device 45 is connected by conductor 50, back contact and armature 5| of relay 2|, and conductor 52 to winding of relay 20 for operation of that relay. Contact device 46 is similarly connected. Contact device 41 is connected by conductor 53 through back contact and armature 54 of relay 2!! and conductor 55 to winding of relay 21 for energization of relay 2| conditionally that relay 20 has not been operated. It

will be seen that relay 20 may be operated by contact device 45 at one station or 46 at stations of a group, and when operated, will disable relay 2|, and-it will be seen that relay 2| may be operated by contact device 41 at all stations where relay 20 has not been operated.

Q5, In a normal idle line circuit Ill, current flows at each station through winding of line relay I 2,

winding of milliammeter i3, winding trip magdispatch a message to station B, first starts all motors by operating break key i5 to open and then to close the line circuit 10, with the eiIect that the magnet 34 at each station will be deenergized and immediately thereafter reenergized. At each station, deenergization of magnet 34 permitsspring 33 to draw armature 35 away from magnet 34 and thus to lift latch 31 from mechanical engagement with armature 3|, at the same time lifting tooth 36 of armature 35 into the path of armature 3i, thus permitting armature 3| to move latch 31 to tooth 36 through an angle not suiilcient to operate any of the contact members controlled by armature 3|.

Upon releasing break key [5 and reclosing line circuit It, the reenergization of magnet 34 at each station attracts its armature 35 and draws tooth 33 away from armature 3|, thus releasing armature 31 to operate fully and thereby to cause its contact members 32, 33 to engage together respectively. Contact members 32 engage to short circuit magnet 34, and contact members 33 engage to close a power supply circuit for motor 43 from one of the power conductors 44, through contact members 33, motor 43, and contact and armature 6| of relay 2i to the other of the power conductors 44, with the result that the motor 43 at each station will be operating. Short circuiting the winding of magnet 34 decreases the resistance of line circuit l and increases current through milliammeter I3, moving the pointer of the milliammeter to another position, thus notifying the operator at station A that motors have been started.

Break key l also has closed momentarily and reopened its contact members 32. The closure contact 52 completes an energizing circuit'for relay 2. through conductors 63 and 52, energizing relay 23, which'operates its armatures and forms a holding circuit through front contact and armature 54' and contact member 65 of relay i9 to ground. Operation of relay 2!) at this time occurs at the originating station only, since only at that station is the .break key l5 operated. Energized relay 23 now forms a circuit for energization of relay [8 from grounded battery, through armature and front contact OI 1 1? lay l2, conductor 68, winding of relay l8, armature and back contact of relay 22, conductors ll, 12 and armature 13 of relay 20 and front contact to ground, energizing relay I8, which in turn energizes and operates relay i9 over an obvious circuit. By operation of relay l9, the make-before-break contact members of relay I9 transfer the holding circuit of relay 20 through front contact and armature of relay l9 to armature of relay l8 and through itsnow closed front contact to ground, thereafter removing ground from contact member 65 of relay 19. By operation of break key 15, the operator at station A has started all motors and has operated relays 20, I8, and then l9 at his own station and has produced an indication in the milliammeter accordingly.

Desiring to transmit a message only to station B, operator at station A now depresses key B of the keyboard transmitter I4 to transmit over line circuit In a code signal for B, which results in printing B at all stations and at the station B also results in closing of individual station selecting contact device 45 by mechanical means illustrated in Fig. 1 of the Morgenstern patent of record, which energizes relay 20 at station E over a circuit including battery, winding of relay 20 at station B, conductor 52, armature 5| and back contact of relay 2!, conductor 50, and contact device 45 to ground. As described in connection with operations at station A, relay 20 forms its holding circuit and energizes relay I8, then relay l9, .at station B, and transfers its holding circuit to relay l8. Should operator at station A desire to transmit to a plurality of remote stations concurrently, further stations may be selected similarly, one by one, by individual code signals, before transmission of a lockout code signal to be described below. Alternately, all stations of a predetermined group may be selected simultaneously by a single code signal which will select and operate contact device 46. A group selection may include all stations on the line, if desired, or only a limited number of stations; namely, A and B, but not 0.

Station selection individually and by groups, with subsequent lockout, station release, and motor stop, is accomplished by mechanism such as disclosed in patent to Morgenstern by providing in each printer selector five or more sets of contact-devices 4|, 42, 45, 46, 41, mechanically positioned to be operable by four or more selector pull bars or equivalent selector elements respectively, contact devices 4|, 42 being operable by x a single mechanical element. Mechanism for closing a contact by equivalent selector elements in a different type of receiving printer is illustrated in Morton'et al, Patent No. 1,904,164, Fig.

27, code lever 48l, arm 506, contact 498. Assume a selective signaling system for station selection and control in which A, B, C, and others identify code signals for selection of stations individually, X identifies a code signal for lockout operation, Y identifies a code signal for selection of a group of stations which may include all stations of the line, Z identifies station A and B as a group of two stations, and shift, H identifies code signals for stopping motors as explained in the patent to Morgenstern. At station A, the contact device 45 (constructed as IE of Fig. l in patent to Morgenstern) is positioned to be operated by that pull bar (l4 of Morgenstern), which eflects printing of letter A in the printer and which responds to a code signal generated by. operation of key A of the keyboard transmitter, and a similar contact device is positioned to be operated by sponse to acode signal generated by. operation of key B of the keyboard transmitter, and similar contact device is positioned to'be operated by pull her Z and connected to conductor 50. Contact device of station C is positioned to be operated by the C pull bar, and so on for all stations individually considered. Contact device W at every station is similarly positioned to be operated by that pull bar at every station, which eflects printing of letter K in the printer and which responds to a code signal generated by operation of key "X in any keyboard transmitter. Contact device 46 for group selection is provided at all stations and is positioned to be operated by that pull bar which effects printing of letter Y in the printer and which responds to a code signal generated by operation of key Y in any keyboard transmitter. Printing in response to the selection signals ofiers to a locked out station a legible record of the station or stations which have been selected. In an emergency, operator at station C, noting by lamp 23 that station C is locked out and noting by letters BX printed on the record medium that station B alone had been selected, and perhaps noting further by a motionless pointer in milliammeter it that the line is not actively in use for communication, may request over a different channel of communication the operator at station B to release the line.

Having selected and qualified the telegraphic apparatus at station 3, the operator at station A now desires to lock station C and other stations on the circuit out of the communication circuit, and accordingly operates a predetermined key of transmitter iii, transmitting a lookout code signal which operates contact device ll at all stations. At stations A and B and other selected and qualified stations there is no edect from the contact device ll because conductor 53 extends only to back contact of armature ed in relay 20 wherein armature 5&1 is in operated position and out of engagement with its back contact. At

-station C, however, and at every other unselected and unqualified station in line circuit it, operation of the lookout contact device M closes a circuit for the energization of relay 211 through battery, winding of relay 2i, conductor 55, armature dl and back contact of unenergized relay 2d, and contact device il to ground. Relay 2i at such stations operates its armatures and closes its holding circuit through battery, winding of relay 26, front contact of armature id, conductor 75, contact member and armature of operated relay i9, and armature and front contact of operated relay it to ground. By its armature 6i and back contact, disabling relay 2! interrupts the power circuit and stops motor 53 at all unqualified stations. By its armature l6 and front contact, relay 28 short circuits the line circuit contacts of both break key 85 and keyboard transmitter M so that neither station G nor any other unselected and unqualified station is able to open the line circuit it many manner and therefore cannot interrupt the ensuing message nor cause it to be recorded by selector operating magnets I l at any unselected station. By its armature 5i and back contact, relay it prevents contact devices 45 and 46 from the operation of the relay 20 should contact devices 635 and it be operated.

At station E relay 20, in response to station selection functioning under control of station A. disengaged its armature from its back contact at the time of station selection, thereby opening the shunt of series line resistance l6 at station B and changing the resistance of the line circuit l0, resulting in a small change in current in line circuit In and resulting in a corresponding small change in the indication of the pointer of milliammeter l3 at station A, as well as at all other stations. Operator at station A, having locked out all unselected stations, may note by the'reading of the milliammeter i 3 that only one station apparatus other than that at station A is included in the line circuit l0, and

may proceed to transmit messages to the sole selected station 3, whose apparatus is qualified to transmit in response.

Desiring to terminate the connection thus set up and to restore the line circuit it to its ori inal condition of idleness, the operator at station A (or at any selected and operating station) may operate break key ii: for a period of time sufiicient to release the armature of slow-to-release relay i8. Release of the armature of relay M will deenergize relays 2!, 29, and !9 at all stations except relay 20 at station A or at the station where break key i5 is in operated condition, and will restore the shunt to line resistor M at all other stations which have been operatiflg. Upon release of key l5, milliammeter it ll return to that indication reached when all motors first were started by break key i5. Operated station A new transmits code signals figures H of which the code signal for figures causes an enduring engagement of contact members 36 and the code signal for I-I" causes a transient engagement of contact member ii, thus closing transiently an obvious circuit for energization of magnet 30 which operates and restores its armature 3i and contact members 32, 33 at all stations and stops all motors 33. Contact members 33 stop all motors 33 and contact members 32 remove shunts from all magnets 3 at all stations, thus including magnets 38.. in line circuit Iii. Motor control operations for stopping all motors are here traversed briefly but are disclosed in detail in the patent to Morgenstern. At the same time that contacts 6! are operated, there occurs a momentary operation of contact members 32 to close an obvious circuit for energization of restoring relay 22, which operates its armatures and forms a holding circuit from battery, through winding of relay 22, front contact and armature of relay 22, and armature and front contact of relay is to ground. Operation of relay 22 opens the energizing circuit of slowto-release relay it which, after a. short time, permits its armatures to assume normal position, thereby extinguishing signal lamp 23 and deenergizing relays it and 22 at all stations. Line circuit it, together with all of its station apparatus, has been restored to normal condition of idleness, which fact will be indicated by the pointer of milliammeter l3;

While a busy or idle condition of the line will be indicated at all timesby milliammeter E3, the signal lamp 23 also will indicate a busy line condiiion.

During the communication between and among selected stations, operation of relay 2| at' all non-selected stations has caused its armature H to open the operating circuit of recorder magnets so that the comparatively heavy armature of that magnet will remain motionless and dill 4 silent. At such a station the armature of line relay I2 is the sole moving element.

What is claimed is: l. A method 01 operating a single-line multl station telegraph system having normally inert motors and motor driven selectors responsive severally to signals transmitted to stations over said line, which includes the steps of transmitting signals for starting a plurality of motors at a plurality of stations thereafter transmitting signals over the line to which some stations respond selectively, and thereafter transmitting further signals over the line effective at unresponded stations for stopping motors thereat.

2. A method oi operating a multi-station telegraph system with normally inert motors and motor driven signal-responsive selectors. including the steps 01 transmitting a non-permutation signal for starting all motors, transmitting permutation signals for qualifying desired stations for communication, transmitting a permutation signal for stopping the motor at each unqualified station, transmitting a signal for restarting stopped motors, and transmitting a permutation code signal for stopping all motors.

3. A method of operating a single-line multistation telegraph system having normally inert motors and motor driven selectors responsive severally to signals transmitted to stations over the line, which includes the steps of transmitting signals ior starting a plurality of motors at a plurality of stations, thereafter transmitting signals over the line to which some stations respond selectively, thereafter transmitting further signals over the line eiIective' at unresponded stations for stopping motors, transmitting communication signals among selectively responded stations, and restoring the system to initial condition.

4. A method of operating a multistation telegraph system having selectors at each station driven by motors which are normally inert, which includes the steps of starting the motor at each station, qualifying certain of said stations to be non-responsive to lockout signals, transmitting lockout signals to lock out all unqualified stations, communicating among qualified stations, and restoring all station apparatus to initial condition.

5. A method of operating a multi-station telegraph system having stations normally non-responsive to selection code signals, which includes the steps of rendering all stations responsive to selection code signals, transmitting selection code signals to quality certain of said stations'selectlvely, rendering unqualified stations non-responsive to communication code signals for recording, communicating among qualified stations, and then restoring all stations to original condition.

6. A method of operating a multi-station telegraph system having a communication channel and having selectors at all stations driven by motors which are normally inert, which includes transmitting a signal over the communication channel to start all motors, transmitting from a station a selective signal over the communication channel to modify selectively a remote station, transmitting a signal over the communication channel to stop motors at all other remote stations, communicating with the modified station, and then restoring all apparatus to its original condition.

7. A method of operating a multi-station telegraph system having a communication channel station, and then restoring all stations to original condition.

8. In a multi-station telegraph system, a line circuit, a plurality of stations connected to said line circuit, normally non-operating motors at said stations, motor starting means responsive to non-permutation signals over said line, motordriven means responsive to permutation signals over said line to stop motors at some stations,-

further means to restart said stopped motors, and further means responsive to permutation code signals to stop motors at all stations.

9. In a multi-station telegraph system, a line circuit, a plurality of stations connected to said line circuit, a normally non-operating motor at each station, means responsive to signals in said line to start all motors of the system, relays at each station having contacts to stop a motor,

means selectively responsive to signals in said line circuit to prevent said relays from operating at selected stations, and means to operate all non-prevented motor stop relays. 10. In a multi-station telegraph system, a recording receiver, a permutation selector forming a part of said receiver, a normally inert motor to drive said selector, remotely controlled means for starting said motor into operation, means to stop said motor, and selectively responsive means controlled through said selector to further control said motor to maintain said motor in operation independently or said means to stop said motor. 7

II. In a multl-station telegraph system, a line, a plurality of stations connected to said line, recording receivers at said stations, a permutation selector forming a part of each of said recording receivers, a normally inert motor to drive each of said selectors, means to start all motors, means to operate all selectors in response to station codes, means to set up station selective conditions at selected stations, and means to'stop motors only at non-selected stations.

12. In a multi-station telegraph system, motor starting means at all stations responsive to a signal common to all stations to start motors at all stations, motor stopping means at all stations responsive to a signal common to all stations to stop motors, and station selecting means at all stations responsive to selective permutation control signals variant for every station to disable said motor stopping meansv at each responding station.

13. In a multi-station telegraph system, motor starting means at all stations responsive to a nonpermutation signal, motor stop means at all stations, means responsive to variant permutation code signals to disable said motor stop means at a station selectively, and further motor starting means responsive at stations whose motors have been stopped by said second mentioned means and efiective to restart said motors.

14. In a multi-station telegraph system, a communication channel, a plurality of stationsconnected to said communication channel, selectors driving the selector thereat, means at one ot' at all said stations, motors to drive said selectors and normally non-operating, means to transmit a signal over the communication channel to start all motors into operation, means to transmit from a station a selective signal over the communication channel to modify selectively a remote station, means to transmit a signal over the communication channel to stop motors at all other remote stations, means to communicate with the modified station, and means to restore all apparatus to original condition.

15. In a multi-station telegraph system, selectors at each station, motors to drive said selectors and normally non-operating, means to start all motors into operation, means to modify desired stations to be non-responsive to received lockout signals, means to transmit lockout signals to lock out all unmodified stations, means to communicate among modified stations, andmeans to restore all station apparatus to initial condition.

16. In a multi-station single-line telegraph system, stations normally non-responsive to communication code signals, means to render said stations responsive to communication code signals, relays at said stations having contacts to render a station non-responsive to communication code signals, signal-responsive means to disable said relays selectively, and means to operate all remaining ones of said relays.

17. In a multi-station single-line telegraph system, a line, stations connected to 'said line, permutation selectors in said stations, contacts in said selectors responsive to permutation code signals, locking-out relays for disabling a station and responsive to one of said contacts at each station, and other relays for disabling a lockingout relay and responsive to another of said contacts selectively at each station.

18. In a telegraph system, a line circuit, a plurality of stations on said line circuit, a printing telegraph selector at each of the stations, a normally inert motor at each of said stations for driving the selector thereat, means at one of said stations for establishing a condition on said line circuit for starting the motor at each station, and means operative through said selector in response to a signal identified with each station desired for communication for insuring the continued operation of the motor at such station.

19. In a telegraph system, a line circuit, a plurality of stations on said line circuit, a printing telegraph selector at each of the stations, a normally inert motor at each or said stations for CERTIFI CA TE OF C ORRECTI 0N said stations for establishing a condition on said line circuit for starting the motor at each station, means operative through said selector in response to a signal identified with each station desired for communication for insuring the continued operation of the motor at such station, and means responsive through the operation of said selector on a single signal for stopping the motor at each station not desired for communication.

20. In a telegraph system, a line circuit, a plurality of stations on said line circuit, a printing telegraph selector at each of the stations, a normally inert motor at each 01' said stations for driving the selector thereat, means at one of said stations for establishing a condition on said line circuit for starting the motor at each station.

means operative through said selector in response to a signal identified with each station desired for communication for insuring the continued operation of the motor at such station, and means responsive to a different signal and a signal common to all stations. for stopping the motor at such station or stations in communication.

21. In a telegraph system, a line circuit, a plurallty of stations on said circuit, a plurality of v telegraph selectors including selector bars at each of the stations, a normally inert motor at each station for driving the selector thereat, means for establishing a condition on said circuit for starting the motor at each station, means for selecting the selector bars, means individual to a selector bar at each station for insuring the continued operation of the motor at each station when such bar is operated, and means responsive to different selector bars for stopping the motor at all other stations and preventing the operation of said motors until the establishment of a predetermined condition at a station where the motor is operating.

22. A method of operating a single line circuit multi-station telegraph system having recorder selectors at each station driven by recorder selector motors which are normally inert, which includes the steps of starting all recorder selector motors, transmitting over the line circuit signals for modifying certain of said stations, stopping the recorder selector motor at each unmodified station, communicating among modified stations, and restoring from conditions established by a modified station the apparatus at each station to the normal initial condition.

ABRAHAM S. BENJAMIN.

February 28 1959 ABRAHAM S. BENJAMIN. It is hereby certified that error appears intheprinted specification I of the above numbered patent requiring correction-as follows: Page 2, first A column, line .0, after the word 'move" insert from; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the ease in the Patent Office. Signed and sealed this 13th day of une, A.]I 1959.

(Seal) Henry Van Arsdale Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

